Mushroom Soup (Sopa de Hongos)

Take a look at this delicious mushroom soup recipe! This is one of the best things to eat when you are sick or when it is cold outside. It's comforting, hearty, and very filling. Sopa de hongos has a lot of different variations, but this recipe will show you how to make mushroom soup with mushrooms, squash blossoms, guajillo peppers, broth, and epazote leaves. It's very easy to make and you can make a whole pot of mushroom soup for the whole family!

Mushrooms are a popular ingredient in many Mexican dishes, especially in soups, stews, and vegetarian tacos!

Today's recipe for mushroom soup is something special and really reminds me of home. This soup is aromatic and filling, with the spice of guajillo peppers and earthy squash blossoms.

I actually learned this recipe from my mama and it is one of my favorite dishes to make in the winter because it is easy to make and it doesn't cost much to make. Most of the time, I already have all of the ingredients on hand!

"La Marquesa" In México

Wild mushrooms have been used in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times, not only for cooking but also for medicinal purposes and ceremonial rites.

The gastronomy from the central states in México has a rich variety of dishes based on the unique mushrooms grown in that area of the country. Places like the famous Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla National State Park, located west of Mexico City and East of Toluca, is the area known as where “La Marquesa” is settled. They wouldn’t be the same without this “sopa de hongos”.

“La Marquesa” is where families like to go on weekends to have a quiet and relaxing time surrounded by nature. It offers an array of special dishes that are very popular and traditional like the lamb barbacoa, the quesadillas made with blue corn masa, and, of course, mushroom soup.

We used to live in Toluca and my husband commuted daily to work in Mexico City. And, we loved to stop there early in the morning for breakfast or lunch depending on the hour.

Where To Find Local Mushrooms In México

The weather in that area is cool and humid, especially in the city of Toluca (which is considered to be the coolest city in the country due to its altitude of 8,793 ft above sea level). The weather and the topography of this central part are perfect for growing diverse types of wild mushrooms!

But, in most states from Hidalgo and Michoacán, and all the way south to Oaxaca and Chiapas, you will find local mushrooms so diverse in their form, size, and color. Their use in regional cuisines is also different by zone since they are cooked in soups, tamales, bread, salads, stews, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Mushroom Soup

Before I share my recipe, here are a few questions I’ve been asked about how to make homemade mushroom soup.

What types of mushrooms are found in central Mexico?

A small sample of some of Mexico's wild mushrooms for more pictures and information about them is on this site.

Here is a sample of a few of the many types of mushrooms found in Central Mexico. Most of them are known by the name of the area where they are grown, or for their shape and color by the local people.

You'll find some like:

• Blue
• Yellow
• Little bread
• Small nail
• Broom
• Bird’s feet
• Little belly

All of these different mushrooms are delicious in soups, quesadillas, and stews!

Should I sauté the mushrooms first?

Whether you saute the mushrooms or not is completely optional. I did not saute them, and the soup tasted great.

If you want to saute them first, use the same oil or butter that you used to saute the garlic and onion.

Can I add corn to this soup?

Yes, you can add corn to this soup! In fact, corn is a traditional type of food found in Mexico. Either frozen, canned, or freshly-cooked corn will all taste delicious in this mushroom soup.

Is this mushroom soup recipe vegetarian?

It can be. To make it fully vegetarian, make sure to use veggie broth instead of chicken.

What if I can't find epazote? What can I use instead?

Since it is not always easy for people to find epazote, you can replace it with cilantro, papalo leaves, or fennel. It won't give it the exact same flavor profile but it's pretty close!

Easy Mushroom Soup

Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this dish…

• Vegetable oil (or butter)
• White onion
• Garlic cloves
• Guajillo peppers
• Mushrooms
• Squash blossoms
• Chicken broth
• Epazote leaves
• Salt

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

How To Make Mushroom Soup: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.

Sauté The Vegetables

• Heat up the oil (or butter) over medium heat in a medium-size pot.
• Sauté the onion, garlic, and chopped guajillo peppers for about 2 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.
• Add in the chopped mushrooms and squash blossoms, stir and cover the pot.
• Cook everything until the mushrooms are soft and have released some of their juices. This takes about 4 – 5 minutes.

Add Broth and Simmer

• Slowly pour in the chicken broth, making sure none of the vegetables are stuck to the bottom. Drop in the epazote leaves.
• When the soup starts simmering, season with salt and cover with a lid.
• Let the soup cook and simmer at low heat for about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Serve and enjoy!

What To Serve With Mexican Sopa De Hongos

Most times, I like to just eat a bowl of this warm soup with a bolillo to dip into the broth or eat a piece with some creamy butter. You can also serve it with a side of white rice.

This mushroom soup recipe is also a fantastic starter for any dinner you plan to make. I think the mushrooms and guajillo peppers taste delicious when you pair them with a chicken recipe. This recipe for chicken with herbs has a lot of the same flavors, like garlic and onion, along with a few extra fresh herbs.

You can also sauté a few fish fillets with garlic to serve along the side for some extra protein.

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for sopa de hongos, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

• Nopales Navegantes
• Creamy Black Bean Soup
• Mexican Lentil Soup
• Authentic Tortilla Soup
• Mexican Meatball Soup

I hope you make this mushroom soup recipe! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!

Mely

📖 Recipe

Mushroom Soup (Sopa De Hongos)

Mely Martínez

Take a look at this delicious mushroom soup recipe! This is one of the best things to eat when you are sick or when it is cold outside. It's comforting, hearty, and very filling. Sopa de hongos has a lot of different variations, but this recipe will show you how to make mushroom soup with mushrooms, squash blossoms, guajillo peppers, broth and epazote leaves. It's very easy to make and you can make a whole pot of mushroom soup for the whole family!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Soups

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 124 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter*
• ▢ ½ Cup white onion finely diced.
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced (small)
• ▢ 2 Guajiilo peppers cleaned and deveined, cut into rings.
• ▢ 1 Pound mushrooms cleaned and chopped
• ▢ 1 dozen squash blossoms rinsed and chopped. (Optional)**
• ▢ 4 cups of Chicken broth
• ▢ 1 Epazote Branch about 5 to 6 leaves.
• ▢ 1 Salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Heat oil or melt butter over medium heat in a medium-size pot. Saute onion, garlic, and guajillo pepper pieces in oil or butter over a medium for until onion is soft. About 2 minutes.
• Add chopped mushrooms and squash blossoms, if using. Stir and cover the pot. Simmer until mushrooms are soft and had released some of its juices. About 4 – 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken broth and Epazote leaves, when soup starts simmering season with salt.
• Keep simmering in a low heat for about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Serve warm with corn tortillas or a crusty French bread.

Notes

* You can either use oil or butter to sauté the vegetables. I use 1 Tablespoons of each since butter gives a rich flavor to the soup.

** You can see that the soup also has squash blossoms, they are not a typical part of the soup but some cooks add them. I found these at my local farmer’s market, and since they were the last ones of the season, I didn’t want to pass the opportunity to use them for this dish.

Maybe you can see that the Epazote leaves in the picture above are frozen. Since it is not easy to find them year round, I usually freeze them and use as needed. They hold their flavor much better this way than the dried Epazote found in some stores.

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Nutrition

Calories: 124kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 872mgPotassium: 733mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1843IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg

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